BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Bradford High School’s football team scored four touchdowns in the first quarter in winning its District 5-2A opener 53-0 over host Keystone Heights on Sept. 26.
The Tornadoes (5-1), who travel to play district opponent Palatka on Friday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m., had no trouble with the Indians and most likely didn’t expect to. Keystone (0-5, 0-2 in District 5) has struggled mightily this season, with most of its team made up of freshmen and sophomores after multiple would-be starters transferred out and several others simply deciding not to play this season. The Indians have been outscored 230-37 in their five games.
Since Jamie Rodgers became Bradford’s head coach, the Tornadoes have outscored Keystone 179-6 in four games.
Still, it wasn’t a game to take lightly for a team that has a goal of winning a district championship.
“That was the first box we needed to check — to get the win tonight,” Rodgers said.
Bradford, which got four touchdown passes from Cy Cubbedge, finished with 268 yards to Keystone’s 25.
The Indians, who travel to play West Nassau on Friday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m., not only struggled moving the ball against the Bradford defense, but also had issues with its shotgun snaps, which resulted in a net loss of 48 yards and two safeties.
Keystone also committed three turnovers, one of which would’ve put another touchdown on the board for the Tornadoes if not for a penalty.
It didn’t take long to show what kind of a night it was going to be. The game began with a sky kick from the Indians, who were obviously hoping to prevent a long return. Instead, Bradford’s Jordan Cason caught the ball at his own 41-yard line and took it back the distance for a touchdown. Tyler Sapp added the extra point to make it 7-0.
Sapp then booted a deep kick that Keystone’s Hunter Crumpton fielded at the 4-yard line and returned to the 11. A bad snap on the Indians’ second play of their possession resulted in a loss that backed them up to the 4. The Tornadoes’ Parviele Lee then tackled Cole Crabtree in the end zone on third down for a safety, putting Bradford up 9-0 at the 9:51 mark of the first quarter.
The Bradford offense began its first drive at its own 44 following the free kick awarded by the safety. A holding penalty on first down negated most of a Chase Phillips run deep into Keystone territory, but the result was a first-and-1 at the Keystone 47. A lateral to Cason hit the ground, but Cason scooped the ball up and ran for a 7-yard gain to pick up a first down. A 16-yard reception by Kamontae Nixon on the next play gave the Tornadoes a first down at the 24. Keystone’s Trase Wooden made a tackle for a loss, while Crabtree nearly intercepted a pass. However, on third-and-11, Cubbedge connected with Elijah Lawrence over the middle of the field for a 25-yard touchdown with 7:11 remaining in the first quarter. Sapp added the PAT for a 16-0 lead.
Two plays after the ensuing kickoff, the Tornadoes got the ball back when Nate Raymond caused and recovered a fumble at the Keystone 17. After a penalty for delay of game, Nixon had a 16-yard reception to give Bradford first-and-goal at the 6. Nixon, who finished with three catches for 38 yards, then caught a touchdown pass from Cubbedge with 5:36 left in the opening quarter. Sapp was again successful on the extra point, making the score 23-0.
A bad snap put the Indians in the shadow of their own end zone again, with quarterback Crumpton falling on the loose ball at the 4-yard line. On fourth-and-24, another bad snap sailed over punter Ryder Thomas’ head and out of the end zone for a safety, making it a 25-0 game.
Bradford drove 44 yards for its next score following the free kick. A 28-yard run by Cason, who finished with two carries for 35 yards, put the Tornadoes at Keystone’s 16-yard line. Cubbedge then hooked up with Peyton Jones for a 16-yard
touchdown pass. With Sapp’s PAT, the Tornadoes led 32-0 with 1:46 to play in the first quarter.
The Indians picked up a first down on their next series. An 8-yard run by Crumpton set up fourth-and-3, with Crumpton then able to get the Tornadoes to jump offsides, which moved the chains. However, the next play was a bad snap that resulted in a 17-yard loss, which eventually forced Keystone to punt on fourth-and-28 from its own 16.
Keystone finished the first half with minus-20 yards.
One play following the Indians’ punt, Bradford increased its lead, with Phillips taking a short pass 31 yards for a touchdown. Sapp kicked the extra point, with the 39-0 score enforcing a running clock with approximately eight minutes remaining in the second quarter.
That scored ended the night for most of the Bradford starters, including Cubbedge, who completed 7 of 9 passes for 120 yards.
“The best thing for me about a game like tonight’s was we lined up right with our 2s and 3s, which are our JV starters and their backups,” Rodgers said, adding, “Every single person got in. Every single person knew where to line up.”
The Tornadoes’ offense had one more drive in the half. Backup quarterback Jackson Parmeter scored on a 54-yard touchdown run as time expired, putting Bradford up 46-0 after Sapp’s PAT.
Parmeter finished as the game’s leading rusher with 51 yards on two carries.
Bradford’s Jayden Hudson recovered a fumble on the third play from scrimmage in the second half. That led to the game’s final score — an 11-yard touchdown run by Raimond Pedro on fourth-and-6. Sapp completed his perfect night, kicking the extra point and making the score 53-0.
Keystone ran 13 offensive plays in the second half, with 12 of them being carries by Crumpton for 49 yards.
The Tornadoes’ Montrez Aldridge intercepted a pass on the game’s final play and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown, but a holding penalty on the return took the score away.
In playing an overmatched opponent, one of the main things a coach wants to see is his players doing what they’re supposed to do. Rodgers liked what he saw in his team’s first district game.
“I don’t believe in getting up super high to play one team or going way down to play another team,” Rodgers said. “You’re playing against the execution. If you’re supposed to block down, block the guy down. If you’re supposed to tackle the guy, tackle the guy. That kind of thing.
“So, this week, that’s what we preached. Let’s win against execution. We did tonight.”
The Tornadoes, who’ve played four of their six games away now go on the road for the final time to play a Palatka team that is coming off a 21-13 district loss to Newberry. The Panthers (1-5) are 0-2 in the district.
Bradford is looking to go 4-1 in road games.
“If you can finish your season with a winning road record, and you take care of business at home, that’s usually a pretty good season,” Rodgers said. “That’s kind of what we’re looking for.”
Keystone next plays a West Nassau team that is 6-1 after a 32-21 win over Fernandina Beach.
